Durable Container

ABSTRACT

A durable one-piece plastic container having a bottom, upwardly extending cylindrical sidewalls and a rim extending circumferentially around the top of the cylindrical side wall. The side wall is interspersed with gussets and flutes providing support for the side wall. The flutes run over the edge of the bottom of the container forming handles. On the top of the container there are primary and secondary rims forming a 360 degree continuous handle surrounding the entire container perimeter for easy lifting of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to a durable one-piece molded plastic container for holding, handling, or storing bulk materials or for a receptacle for trash. The containers may be nested when empty, and when used with a lid, may be stacked upon each other.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional containers of one-piece construction that are used for trash receptacles or for the storage of large quantities of bulk material, for example, food products, have handles that protrude outwardly from the sides of the container. The outwardly extending handles are typically either a pair of rectangular or similarly shaped handles that protrude from the side of the container. The handles may fail when the containers are subjected to heavy loads or subjected to violent impacts, such as when they collide with another container or are dropped to the ground. Further, when the conventional container are placed on their sides, they may not be rolled on the ground when moving the container to another location. The protruding handles would prevent this function.

Additionally, an outwardly extending handle on containers requires more storage spaces than if handles were not placed on the outside of the containers. The outwardly extending handles prevent the outside walls of adjacent containers from being placed close together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention is a container for handling large quantities of bulk materials, such as grain and other food products, or is used as a trash receptacle. It is a molded plastic container having a bottom, upwardly extending cylindrical sidewalls, and a rim extending circumferentially around the top of the cylindrical sidewall. On the cylindrical sidewall, there are gussets alternating with flutes or a recessed portion of the sidewall, both of which provide strength to the sidewall. The flutes wrap around the edge of the bottom of the container, forming handles on the bottom. The gussets wrap around the edge of the bottom of the container interspersed between the flutes and lead to floor guides molded into the bottom of the container. The handles on the bottom of the container provide for easy lifting of the container. The rim of the container provides a 360° continuous molded handle surrounding the entire container perimeter for easy lifting of the container.

Another aspect of the invention, in the upper portion of the container, the rim forms an inverted U-shaped configuration closely concentric to the rim of the container and integrally formed and outside of this configuration, is a U-shaped configuration with an outside wall extending upwardly. This upper portion of the container has a larger diameter than the diameter of the lower portion of the container formed by the cylindrical sidewalls. This upper portion of the cylindrical sidewalls and rim form the continuous 360° handle. The upwardly extending outer wall provides support and fits within the skirt of a lid for the container. The annular skirt of the lid extends downwardly on the outside of the upwardly extending outside wall, providing a secure fit and attachment to the container. The annular skirt of the rim enables the container to be rolled on its side on the ground for easy movement since there are not external handles on the container. The 360° molded continuous handle is formed by the outer U-shaped configuration of the rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the container and cover in use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the lid in an exploded view.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the lid on the container.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lid and container taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plane view of the inside of the bottom of the container.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom, sidewalls, and underside of the rim of the container.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the bottom of the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For the purposes of promoting and understanding the invention and principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed and illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates.

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a container 10 for holding, handling, and storing large quantities of bulk material, such as food products, and for serving as a trash receptacle. The container 10 comprises a durable, one-piece, single-wall molded plastic container 10 have an open top 12, a lid 14, and bottom 16. An upwardly extending cylindrical sidewall 18 extends from bottom 16.

The term “plastic” is used herein to mean synthetic resins that are moldable into various forms and are hardened for commercial and industrial use. A preferred plastic for this invention is a polypropylene, which is flame retardant and preferably FDA approved material.

The cylindrical sidewall 18 comprises a primary rim 20 with a 360° continuous handle 22 located on the underside 24 of the rim as shown in FIGS. 1-4.

The primary rim 20 extends circumferentially around the top 26 of the container 10.

A plurality of gussets 28 are integrally formed in the cylindrical sidewall 18 and provide strength and support for the primary rim 20. The gussets 28 extend downwardly from the upper portion 30 of the cylindrical sidewall 18 through the lower portion 32 of the cylindrical sidewall 18 to the bottom edge 36 onto bottom 16. Gussets 28 wrap around the bottom edge 36 joining bottom 16.

Flutes 38 are integrally formed into the upwardly extending sidewall 18 and run from the upper portion 30 of the cylindrical sidewall through the lower portion 32 of the cylindrical sidewall 18 to bottom edge 36 and join bottom 16. Flutes 38 wrap around edge 36 to form recessed handles 40 in bottom 16. Gussets 28 wrap around bottom edge 30 where floor guides 42 are molded in bottom 16. Guides 42 reduce floor scuffing and scratching as the container is pushed on the surface of the floor. Floor guide 43 is in the center of the bottom 16 of container 10.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are six recessed handles 40 extending from flutes 38 in sidewall 18. Flutes 38 are adjacent gussets 28. Alternating gussets 28 and flutes 38 provide strength and durability to upwardly extending cylindrical sidewall 18 and container 10. The number of flutes and gussets is not intended to be limiting. Any number may be utilized depending on the size of the container.

Lid 14 is shown with concentric shoulders 46, 48. Annular skirt 50 is positioned downwardly from top 15 of lid 14 at edge 15 a. Containers with closed lids are stacked upon each lid. Concentric shoulder 48 aids in the stacking of the containers by supporting the bottom edge of the container placed on it.

Secondary rim 52 is integrally formed from the upper portion 30 of cylindrical sidewall 18 by inverted U-shaped configuration 54. The underside 56 of this configuration serves as a grip or handle 58. Following inverted U-shaped configuration 54 is concentric channel 60 that serves as an inside wall 62 for upwardly extending outside rim wall 64. The vertically oriented outside rim wall 64 is adjacent to and outward from inverted U-shaped configuration 54 forming a secondary rim 52 extending circumferentially along the top 66 of the extended cylindrical sidewall 68 and secondary rim 52 and upwardly extending outside rim wall 64.

The continuous recessed handle 58, which runs 360°, is integrally formed in the inverted U-shaped configuration 54 and shaped by the upwardly extending outside rim wall 64. Handle 58 is gripped by inserting one's fingers and hands into the inverted U-shaped configuration 54 while gripping the U-shaped configuration 54, the concentric channel 60, and upwardly extending outside rim wall 64.

Individual channels 72 are cut through the inverted U-shaped configuration 56 to assist in the gripping of handle 58 and to serve as a drain if liquid is contained or trapped in concentric channel 60. The cut channels 72 serve to drain the liquid into the interior 74 of container 10. With regard to nesting, the cylindrical sidewall 18 slopes inwardly from top to bottom, ending at bottom edge 30. Therefore, the outside circumference 78 of container 10 at primary rim 20 is greater than the outside circumference of the container 10 at bottom edge 36. In addition, a shoulder 76 is formed by the configuration of secondary rim 52 and U-shaped configuration 54, forming concentric channel 60. Therefore, the sloping circumference 82 of upper portion 30 of cylindrical sidewall 18 assists in the nesting of empty containers. When lid 14 is placed on the open top 12 of container 10 engaging secondary rim 52 the annular skirt 50 of lid 14 contacts the outside surface 64 a of upwardly extending outside rim wall 64 for sealing container 10 securely. Typically, the inside diameter of container 10 at rim 52 is about 1.1 to about 1.2 times the diameter of primary rim 20.

With regard to FIG. 5, the inside 74 of container 10 is shown. Inside floor 83 of bottom 16 is shown with concentric shoulders 84 formed by flutes 38 and inside shoulder 86 formed by gussets 28 provide support for bottom 16. Shoulders 84 form spaced concentric channels 88 that also forms inside spaced channel 90 of bottom handles 40. In addition, molded floor guides 40 are shown near edge 36 of gussets 28.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, flutes 38 and gussets 28 are shown reaching from the upper portion 30 of cylindrical sidewall 18 wrapping around bottom edge 36 into bottom 16. Recessed handles 40 are shown, as well as floor guides 42, including floor guide 43. Outside spaced channels 92 on bottom 16 are opposed to inside spaced channel 88. Handles 40 form outer bottom rim 94 of flutes 38 adjacent to concentric inner rim 96 of gussets 28. Inner rim 96 holds floor guides 42. The channels are interspersed between the bottom of gussets 28. Container 10 is made from flame-retardant material and has passed California Technical Bulletin 133, a flame-retardant test. The test is an open-flame test and is mandatory for furniture sold in what is called “public occupancies” in the State of California. Several other states have adopted California Technical Bulletin 133. The plastic used in the manufacture of the container is also a food-grade material approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it should be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and it not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of appended claims. 

1. A durable container comprising: a molded plastic container having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom; a primary rim extending circumferentially around the top of the cylindrical sidewall integrally formed from an inverted U-shaped configuration; an upwardly extending outside rim wall integrally formed from a concentric channel adjacent to and outward from the inverted U-shaped configuration forming a secondary rim extending circumferentially around the top of the cylindrical sidewall, first rim, and upwardly extending outside rim wall; and a recessed continuous handle integrally formed in the inverted U-shaped configuration and shaped by the upwardly extending outside rim wall and handles on the bottom of the container.
 2. The container according to claim 1 further comprising gussets on the cylindrical sidewall of the container.
 3. The container according to claim 2 further comprising flutes adjacent each gusset on the cylindrical sidewall.
 4. The container according to claim 2, wherein the gussets are placed in an upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall of the container and overlap an edge of the bottom, joining the bottom.
 5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the gusset overlapping an edge of the bottom and joining the bottom container contains a floor guide.
 6. The container according to claim 3, wherein the flutes are placed in an upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall of the container and overlap an edge of the bottom joining the bottom of the container.
 7. The container according to claim 6, wherein recessed handles are formed in the bottom of the container where the flutes join the bottom.
 8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inverted U-shaped configuration of the rim and the underside of the upwardly extending outside rim wall integrally form a shoulder that aids in the nesting of the empty containers.
 9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the secondary rim is larger than the diameter of the primary rim.
 10. The container according to claim 9, wherein the ratio of the diameters of the secondary rim to the primary rim is 1.1:1 to 1.2:1.
 11. The container according to claim 1 having a lid.
 12. The container according to claim 1, wherein the lid has an annular skirt that contacts an outside surface of upwardly extending outside rim wall for securely closing the container.
 13. A durable container comprising: a molded plastic container having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom; a primary rim extending circumferentially around the top of the cylindrical sidewall integrally formed from an inverted U-shaped configuration; and a recessed continuous handle integrally formed in the inverted U-shaped configuration and shaped by the upwardly extending outside rim wall and handles on the bottom of the container.
 14. The container according to claim 13 further comprising gussets on the cylindrical sidewall of the container.
 15. The container according to claim 14 further comprising flutes adjacent each gusset on the cylindrical sidewall.
 16. The container according to claim 14, wherein the gussets are placed in an upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall of the container and overlap an edge of the bottom, joining the bottom.
 17. The container according to claim 16, wherein the gusset overlapping an edge of the bottom and joining the bottom container contains a floor guide.
 18. The container according to claim 15, wherein the flutes are placed in an upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall of the container and overlap an edge of the bottom joining the bottom of the container.
 19. The container according to claim 18, wherein recessed handles are formed in the bottom of the container where the flutes join the bottom. 